Aeroplane construction



Oct. 22, 19.35. M ASLANlAN Vp -r AL 2,018,109

AEROPLANE CON ST-RUGTION Filed Feb. 20, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet l -0ct. 22,1935. M AsLANlAN ET AL 2,018,109

AEROPLANE CONSTRUCTION Filed Feb. 20, 1954 '5 SheelS-Sheell 2 JWENTDHEMIDHJLSLNJN JIJWENEYS- Oct. 22, 1935. M. AsLANlAN ET AL 2,018,109

EROPLANE CONSTRUCTION v Filed Feb. 20, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 5'.,A frl21 ff@ Oct. 22, 1935. M. AsLANlAN Er AL AEROPLANE CONSTRUCTION 5Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 20,. 1934 lrlv- 4.-

ITUHNEYE Patented Oct. 22, 1935 AEROPLANE CONSTRUCTION Michial Aslanianand Daniel 'Aslanian Los Angeles, Calif. a

Application February 20, 1934, Serial No. 112,167l 9 Claims. (Cl.244-25) Our invention relates to an aeroplane which may be driven in theconventional manner as by having engines operating propellers, .or thelike, and in which our improvement consists in making use of the slipstream of air passing preferably along the fuselage of the aeroplane tooperate auxiliary propellers. These auxiliary propellers are designed tobe shiftable and may be used as helicopter propellers .to increase thelift, preferably when taking off from the ground and gaining altitude.Then, when the aeroplane is flying at the desired elevation, theauxiliary propellers may have their shaft rotated in an arc and thenoperated as driving propellers.

A further object and feature of our invention is incorporating with anaeroplane, one or more air driven rotors, these being positioned to berotated by the slip stream ofvair passing preferably along the sides ofthe fuselage.

A further. feature of our invention relates to connecting the air drivenrotors to vertical shafts which lead through a housing to a positionabove and below the wings so that propellers operatively connected totheends of these shafts may rotate clear of the fuselage and anyconstruction at the top or bottom of such fuselage. Bythis arrangement,when `the propellers are in one position, that is, rotating on avertical axis, they may act as lifting or helicopter propellers.

Another object and feature of our invention relates to a changeabledrive for the propellers so that the propeller shafts maybe vertical orturned to a horizontal position and still have a positive drive fromlthe vertical drive shafts driven in turn by the rotary air motors.

A further feature of our invention relates to control equipment forturning the propeller shafts through an arc in a vertical plane so thatthey may be shifted between the vertical and horizontal positions. Thesecontrols are located convenient to the pilot so that the pilot maymanipulate and determine the position of the auxiliary propellers.

A further feature of our invention relates to vthe particular drive andconnection between the vertical driven shafts and the driven propellershafts which swing through the arc, and in this feature, the propellershafts preferably have a non-rotatable end section which 'is keyed to acontrol and supporting shaft, which shaft also carries the pull orthrust of the propellers. This supporting shaft may be rotated throughan arc and thus vary the position of the auxiliary propellers. Eachauxiliary propeller has a rotatable section of its shaft with a gearconnected thereto, which gear is driven by an idler preferably locatedon the supporting shaft, and this idler is driven by a gear on avertical drive shaft connected to an air motor.

A further object an'd feature of our invention is using the air motorsto actuate electric generators charging storage batteries, whichbatteries may be used to operate electric'motors, in turn driving theauxiliary propellers. Preferably a motor generator may be used whichwould ac- 10 tuate these propellers through the medium of the air motor.

Our invention is illustrated in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which: v

Fig. 1 may be considered as a horizontal section l5 through a portion ofan aeroplane as taken substantially on the line l-l of Fig. 2 in 4thedirection of I the arrows.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section on the line 2 2v of Fig. l in-the direction of the arrows, 20 the shafts and gears on the sectionline being shown in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 3 3 of Fig.2 in the direction of the arrows, the shafts and gears on the sectionline 25 I being shown in elevation.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of the drive to the i propellers on thesection of Fig. 2, the shafts being illustrated in elevation.

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section taken $0 on the line 5-5 ofFig. 4 in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 6 is a detailed horizontal section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3in the direction of the arrows illustrating an electric generator andmotor connection to the air driven motor. l Referring rst to theconstruction of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, this shows a portion of an aeroplanefuselage Il which has side portions IZ, and a nose section I3. Atransverse partition I4 divides the fuselage into a pilots compartment`I5 at the front and a passenger cabin I6 rearwardly thereof. The pilotsseat is indicated at I1. The fuselage is illustrated as having a floorI8, a ceiling I9, a downwardly curveddlower surface section 45 20. andan upwardly arched top section or roof 2|. The-fuselage may be of anydesirablev shapev conforming to aeroplane practice and is preferablyproperly stream-lined.

The wings 22 extend laterally from the fuselage and in the illustrationthese are shown asv of the monoplane type. 4The engines may be'. locatedat any suitable place but in the presentinst'ance the engines 23arerillustrated` as mounted on wings, there preferably being one or moreendriving propeller 24.

With our design it is preferable not to use a e propeller on the nose ofthe fuselage, but if desired, an engine with a drive propeller maybeings.

located on the top of the fuselage, this if desired, beingthe soledriving engine, or used with wingengines, or the aeroplane may have wingengines alone. These engines are of suflicient power to drive theaeroplane through the air and to adequately support the aeroplane afterrising l from theground.

'In our invention we utilize one or. more air motors 25. These areillustrated as having a vertical opening 26 in the side wall I2 of thefuse. lage. Provisionis made for four of these motors as illustrated inFig. 1, and back of the opening there is a semi-cylindrical housing 21which extends between the iioor I8 and the ceiling I9. (Note Figs. 2 and3.) A vertical air motor shaft 28 extends through the oor and ceilingwhere it has anti-friction bearings 29. (Note Fig. 3.)

"Keyed to each of these shafts therelare two Aor blades 3 I. Each sleevehas a shoulder 32 form- I ing a shoulder abutmentwith'each of the bear-The shafts 28 each have a lower extension 33 below the floor 'and anupper extension 34 above the ceiling. It will be noted on reference 26beyondl the side walls o f the fuselage. It is desirable to have theshaft 28 as close to the side surface of the fuselage as possible toobtain a projection of the vanesor blades substantially equal to theirradius. Thisy is so that as large an amount as'possible be exposed tothe flowing air stream which vflows around the nose surface ofthe-aeroplane in the direction of the arrow 36 and along the sides ofthe fuselage in the direction of the arrow 31. This air stream owingrearwardly causes the rotor of the air motor to rotate in the directionof the arrow 38, thus the air rotors on opposite sides of the fuselagerotate in an opposite direction. i

The rotor shafts are used todrive vertical transmission shafts 39. Theseshafts are enclosed in upper and lower substantial housings 40 and 4I,these housings being preferably stream lined and having a front section42,

^ and a rear section 43- (note Fig. 6), which serve as stream liningsurfaces both front and rear.

The upper housingextenlls above the top of the roof section 2| and hasan outside skin 44 in alignment with the outside skin wall I2 of thefuselage. The inner surface 45 is also preferably parallel to theoutside skin y44 andthese merge into the front and rear portions 42 and43. Where the sides 45 and front portions 42 and h4,3 merge into theroof 2| there is an opening 46. The lower and lower housing projections40 and 4I will be vtransmission shafts 39 is as follows:

Each of the housings '40 and 4I is provided with a gear box 50. (NoteFigs 2, 3, 4 and 5.) These gear boxes have end walls 5I fitted intosidesof the housings 40 and 4 ,I and are provided with an end w'all 52 whichforms an end closure for the 5 housings 40 and 4|, and the front or rearwall 53, which merges into the upper front portion of these upper andlowehusings. yThe walls 52 and 53 are merged into a curved corner 54which has a slot 55 therethrough. (Note Figs. 4 and 5.) An innerwall 56connects the sides and front and rear portions ofveach of the upperand'lower housings 40 and 4I.

yThe mannerof mounting each of the vertical A-bearing 51 is secured tothe floor I8 and another to the ceiling I9 for each assembly. The wallsl56 each have a journal 58 through which the shafts 39 extend, thus theseshafts are joursions 33 and 34 of the wind rotor shaft 28 have a gear 59which meshes with a complementary gear 60 on each of the shafts 39 ofVeach assembly. Thus, when the shaft 28 vof the wind rotor is rotateddueto the action of the slip 25 stream acting on the vanes, each of the#vertical transmission shafts 39 is likewise driven.

The adjustable mounting for the propellers is as follows:

A supporting rock shaft 6I is mounted in antifriction bearing |i2l inthe sides 5| of the gear box. (Note Fig. 4.) This has a series ofsplines 63 thereoxrwhich engages a hub 64 ofthe nonrotating section 65of the propeller shaft designated by the assembly numeral 66. Thenonrotating section 65 of the shoulder 61 has a bushing 68 which bearsagainst this shoulder. A bevel gear 69 is rotatably mounted on thebushing.4 'I'his gear has a square or some non-circular shaped socket 18in which fits the squared end 0,

v1| of the rotatable section 12 of the propeller a socket. A clamped nut15 is threaded on the sleeve 14 and bears on the collar 13. This clampsthe rotary section of the propeller shaftto the gear 69. I'he rotarysection ofthe propeller shafts extends through the actuate slot 55 andhas a propel1er'16 secured thereto by key 11 or similar device. Theshaft 6I has a bushing 18, (note Fig. 50`

4), and on this bushing there is an idler gear 19 having two sets ofteeth 8 8 and 8I, these both being beveledin a different direction. Theteeth 88 mesh with the gear 69. The bushing and gear are held in 'placeby means of a shoulder 82 on 55 the end of'the bushing, a ring 83,washer 84, and nuts threaded on a threaded section by a shaft 6I. Thegear is spaced from the hub 64 by m'eans of washers 86. A washer 81 ison thel opposite side of the hub and engaged by the nuts 60 88 at athreaded section of the shaft 6I. x

A drive bevel gear 89 is secured onA the outer end of each of thevertical transmission shafts 39.- This-gear operates on a ball bearing90 on a journal 58. It has a counter-sunk end 9| andis 55 'held in placeby nuts '92 on athreaded end 4of the shaft 39. This gear 89 meshes withthe teeth 8| of the idler gear 19. Therefore a power drive istransmitted from the rotor of the air motor through'the gears 59 and 60,the vertical transmission shafts '39, and eventually to the auxiliarypropellers.

'The mechanism for shifting the auxiliary propellers from their positionfor vertical lifting as f ,J

. nated by the assembly numeral |0I.

l 2,018,109 .q shwn in fun lines in Figs. 2 and 3 to, the 'dottedy lesscable 91. This cable passes over a reversing pulley 98 secured to thewall 52 of the gear box and leads to a rotatable drum 99 in the pilotscompartment. (Note Figs. l and 3.) The cable may be secured to the drumin any manner, such as being attached by staples or having severalturns. It is necessary to have av sufficient number of reversing pulleysto properly guide the endless cable. The drum is rotated by an arm |00and located convenient to the pilot. may be locked in any suitableposition as by a brake or paWl and ratchet arrangement.

The cables from the upper and lower rock shafts 6| and their arms 93lead to the same drum. In the illustration these cables extend to thedrum from the rock shafts forming an operative assembly with the windmotors and propellers in front of and ,to therear of the wings. Thus, itwill be seen that by operating the drum 'all of the auxiliary propellersmay be shifted from a rotation on vertical axesto rotation on horizontalaxes or intermediate positions.

The auxiliary Wind motors are operatively connected to drive electricmotor generators desig- (Note Fig. 6.) There is preferably one generatorfor each wind motor. manner, and as illustrated, a pulley |02 orsprocket is secured to each of the shafts 28 of the Wind motor rotorsand drives by a'belt |03 from a sprocket chain to the generator. Thegenerator is connected by suitable electrical wiring 04 to a storagebattery |05, one battery for all of the generators being sulcient. Thus,While the Wind motors operate to actuate the generators, they in turncharge the storage battery.

These generators are' of such a type thatthey' may be used` as drivingmotors and by suitable control by the pilot,l the electric motors may beused to rotate the'I rotor ofr the wind motors and hence the auxiliarypropellers. Thus the storage batteries may be draWn'upon as a-source ofenergy to aid the initial lift in rising from the groundin which casethe auxiliary propellers would be fused as helicopters.

,Another important feature of our invention in operation is that theauxiliary propellers may be used as helicopter lifters in landing inwhich case the motor generators would be used to ro- `tate the rotors ofthe wind motors and hence the propellers. vIn this case, the auxiliarypropellers Y would have their shafts in the vertical position.

These auxiliary propellers could therefore also be used to obtain a safelanding if the main driving engines or propellers becomeinoperative, as'the whole aeroplane could be lowered in safety when the four -sets ofauxiliary propellers.' are driven by their motor generators operatingas. electric motors.

'I'he drum The drive may be in any suitable having a vertical opening onone side with a housing inside thereof, a wind operated rotor havingvanes, certain of said vanesextending outwardly through the openingbeyond the side of the fuselage to bedriven by the slip streamof air 5past the fuselage, a rock shaft, a propeller shaft 4having anon-rotatable section connected thereto to rock through an arc, thepropeller shaft having a rotatable section with apropeller mountedthereon, and drive from the rotor to the rotatable 10 section of thepropeller/shaft.

, 2. An aeroplane asiclaimed in claimv 1, the drive 'to the rotatablesection of the propeller shaft comprising a gear rotatable on thenon-rotatable rock shaft whereby the propeller shaft may be rocked froma vertical to a horizontal position, the propeller shaft having arotatable section coupled to the non-rotatable section by a gear, theAsaid gear being rotatable on the non-rotatable section andmeans to drivesaid gear from the said driven shaft.

4. In an aeroplane as claimed in claim 3, the 80 said gear having asocket, the rotatable section of the propeller shaft having a squaredendtting in said socket and a clamping nut securing the ,rotatablesection to the said gear.

5. An aeroplane having an engine vwith a propeller for propulsionthrough the air, a fuselage having vertical sides with wingsv extendingoutwardly therefrom, four wind motors each having a vertical opening Iinthe fuselage side and a partly cylindrical housing inside of the saidopening, there being two wind motors on each side ofthe fuselage, onei-n front and .one behind a Wing, each wind motor having a verticalshaft locatedladjacent the side of the fuselage, each y shaft having aplurality Vof radial vanes, certain 45 of said vanes always projectingthrough the openl Jing to be driven by the slip streamof air past ltheopening, an upper and a lower vertical shaft driven by each rotor shaft,a housing for each y driven shaft having va rock shaft therein, each50'- rock shaft' 'having a propeller shaft connected thereto, thepropeller shaft having a non-driven section attached to the rock shaftwhereby each propeller shaft.V may be rotated from a vertical to ahorizontal position, each 'propeller shaft 55 having a gear rotatable onthe non-rotatable section of the shaft 'and having a rotatablel sectionconnected to said gear, the rotatable section having a propellerattached thereto, an idler v gear rotating on the rock shaftand meshingwith the ysaid gear, and a drive from eachvertical shaft to each idlergear.

6. An aeroplane., having a fuselage with an opening in its side, saidopening extending vertically from a lower to an upper portion of the a5fuselage, an upper and lowerv housingconnected i respectively to theupper and lwer portion of the fuselage, a Wind motor shaft journalled inthe fuselage and having wind motor vanes thereon, the said vanes intheir rotation extending outwardly through the said opening to beengaged Y by the stream of air flowing past the fuselage,

a transmission shaft in each of the housings and having va driveconnection from the air motor shaft, the ends of each housing having agear 20.4 by the saidv rotor, a rock shaft, a propeller shaft having anon-rotatable section secured to the box, a propeller having apropellershaft, means to secure said shaft in the gear box, means for rotatingthe propeller shaft from a vertical to a. horizontal position, and yagear drive from ea'ch transmission shaft to each propeller shaft.

7. An aeroplane having a fuselage with a vertical opening in the side, awind motor shaft journalled in the fuselage and having air engagingvanes secured thereto, the said varies `on rotation extending throughthe opening to be operated by the air ow past the fuselage, a structurehaving apropeller mounting secured to the fuselage, thepropellermounting having a propeller shaft with a propeller, means to swing thepropeller shaft between .a horizontal and a vertical position, atransmission shaft actuated by the air motor shaft, and a gear drivebetween the transmission shaft and the propeller shaft, said gear drivebeing operative whether the propeller shaft is vertical, horizontal orin an intermediate position.

8. In an aeroplane as claimed in claim 7, the said gear drive comprisinga bevel gear on the transmission shaft to rotate such shaft and a doublebevel 'gear mounted on a shaft and engaging a gear on the transmissionshaft and on the propeller shaft.

9. An aeroplane having an engine with a propellerfor propulsion through.the air. ,a fuselage having a Wind motor formed with a vertical open- 5ing in the fuselage side and' a cylindrical housa ing inside of the saidopening, a vertical wind operated rotor,l shaft at the center of thesaid housing and adjacent the vside of the aeroplane,

.a plurality of radially extending vanes secured 10 tothe said shaft,certain of said vanes'always projecting outwardly through said openingto be driven by the/slip stream of air past the fuselage land apropeller having a propeller shaft, said propeller shaft being driven bythe shaft of the 15 wind driven rotor, `the propeller shaft having arotatable and non-rotatab1e section being connected to a rock shaft,`means to rock said shaft to swing the propeller shaft from the verticalto l a horizontal position, and a gear drive between 20 the shaft ofthewind driven motor and theA rotatable section of the propeller shaft.

MICHIAL ASLANIAN. DANIEL ASLANIAN.

